


All Of The Above

by HooperMolly



Category: Jupiter Ascending (2015)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Fluff, Multi, Polyamory Negotiations, Sedoretu
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-09
Updated: 2015-03-09
Packaged: 2018-03-17 02:48:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3512369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HooperMolly/pseuds/HooperMolly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i><b>Article 3.34</b> - An Entitled has the same relationary rights as any non-entitled sentient being, as such having the option of both traditional Duet with another sentient being of equal status or a traditional Sedoretu with three other parties of any status (for further information outlining status, see <b>Article 1.49</b>). All unions must be logged with the Bureau of Life Events with appropriate forms completed by each applicable party (see <b>Article 7.12a</b>) and officiated by a bureau sanctioned celebrant, politician, or religious leader (a list of approved religions are located in <b>Appendix 3</b>).</i>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Once they explained to Jupiter what a Sedoretu was and she realised they were a match, it was inevitable that they would end up married really.</p>
            </blockquote>





	All Of The Above

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the prompt: "Jupiter and Caine are Evening, Kiza and Stinger are Morning. So Caine and Jupiter don't have sex with each other but love each other and cuddle a *lot*, and, no, it's not normal for a father and daughter to make up half a sedoretu -- but it's also not normal for a child to belong to her father's moiety, either, so there's probably a story there."
> 
> Obligatory basic rundown on Sedoretus.
> 
> "Note for readers unfamiliar with the planet O:  
> Ki'O society is divided into two halves or moieties, called (for ancient religious reasons) the Morning and the Evening. You belong to your mother's moiety, and you can't have sex with anybody of your moiety.  
> Marriage on O is a foursome, the sedoretu — a man and a woman from the Morning moiety and a man and a woman from the Evening moiety. You're expected to have sex with both your spouses of the other moiety, and not to have sex with your spouse of your own moiety. So each sedoretu has two expected heterosexual relationships, two expected homosexual relationships, and two forbidden heterosexual relationships.  
> The expected relationships within each sedoretu are:  
> The Morning woman and the Evening man (the "Morning marriage")  
> The Evening woman and the Morning man (the "Evening marriage")  
> The Morning woman and the Evening woman (the "Day marriage")  
> The Morning man and the Evening man (the "Night marriage")  
> The forbidden relationships are between the Morning woman and the Morning man, and between the Evening woman and the Evening man, and they aren't called anything, except sacrilege.  
> It's just as complicated as it sounds, but aren't most marriages?"

_**Article 3.34** \- An Entitled has the same relationary rights as any non-entitled sentient being, as such having the option of both traditional Duet with another sentient being of equal status or a traditional Sedoretu with three other parties of any status (for further information outlining status, see **Article 1.49** ). All unions must be logged with the Bureau of Life Events with appropriate forms completed by each applicable party (see **Article 7.12a** ) and officiated by a bureau sanctioned celebrant, politician, or religious leader (a list of approved religions are located in **Appendix 3** )._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“What’s a Sedoretu?” The words came out of Jupiter’s mouth before she could stop them. It’s not that she hadn’t been thinking about it ever since she came across the term in the package she’d been giving during her ascension...okay, so maybe she had. All movement in the room stopped, save for the hum of the bees, as Caine, Stinger, and Kiza all froze.

“Is it a sex thing? You’re all looking at me like I’m a child who’s just said something that means you have to give me The Talk.” She pressed, feeling awkward with everyone staring at her but determined not to let it show. Stinger and Kiza exchanged glances while Caine cleared his throat.

“No, your majesty. It’s just a marriage.” He answered, still looking somewhat like a deer in the headlights.

“A four person marriage?” She remembered something about three parties. Caine nodded.

“It’s a bit more complicated than that, but yes, that is the basic idea.”

“How much more complicated?” Jupiter made the mistake of asking. It took the better part of twenty minutes for them to explain the details of a Sedoretu; of moieties, expectations, and restrictions. She learned of Morning and Evening, how they combine to form the walls of the marriage, bringing everyone together in balance and harmony. She couldn’t stop herself from bursting out laughing at the term ‘consummate marriage’, which was apparently the umbrella term for the four expected sexual marriages.

“I’m Evening.” Caine said, making it sound no more important than his date of birth. 

“I’m Morning. So’s Dad.” Kiza told her with a smile. Jupiter frowned.

“I thought-” She began but trailed off, not wanting to be rude.

“Kiza’s mother and I were not part of Sedoretu. We never married at all, actually. People don’t look as closely at you when you’re a splice. You’re already beneath them, so why should they care whether you break one of the old taboos?” Stinger clarified patiently, although there was a rawness to his tone that told Jupiter that people have definitely cared. She wondered if that’s why he ended up on Earth, a relative backwater that had no knowledge of moieties and therefore no reason to care who he had chosen to father a child with.

“And the Abrasaxes?” She asked, suddenly curious.

“Evening as they come.” Stinger replied. He made it sound as though it’s obvious, plain for everyone to see. But as far as Jupiter could tell, there’s no trait or quality that Stinger and Kiza share but Caine doesn’t that couldn’t be accounted for by their genetic relationship.

“Am I Evening?” If she’d understood correctly about the mother passing her moiety to her children, then it seemed the most likely option.

“Yes.” He said it in the same tone as if she’d just asked if her hair was brown.

“How do you know?” 

“How do you know you’re a Queen?” She recognised _that_ tone from almost every teacher she’s ever had, patient but with an undercurrent of hope that maybe this time she’ll understand and stop asking so many questions.

“Because you told me.” It’s the wrong answer, she knew, yet it was still true. There wasn’t a cell in her body that felt regal or any more special than the next person, yet everyone insisted that she was. It was strange, being told that your importance came not from any uniqueness but rather the similarities you shared with another who was dead.

“It’s part of your genetic makeup, Majesty. As immutable and natural as the colour of your eyes.” Now he sounds like a father. She could picture Kiza as one of those curious children who was full of questions, Stinger answering them best he could and looking the answer up when he didn’t know. He may have betrayed herself and Caine once, but she could not hold that against him when she had almost gone so far to save her own family. For the most part she could see that he was an honest man who would rather admit his own ignorance than make up a lie to appear more intelligent. It’s a quality that few of the men she’s ever known have had.

“So when Titus wanted to marry me...that was taboo?” She switched tracks, trying to lead herself away from the path that her brain had just decided it would like to wander down.

“Most people would have quite rightly assumed the marriage to be one of political and legal convenience. That’s the main reason that Duets are only between persons of equal status. It keeps the rich with the rich. Outside of planets such as your own, it’s pretty much just the Entitled that enter into Duets.” There’s no need for Jupiter to ask what a Duet is. That term, at least, was self explanatory. 

“Those in power get to ignore social taboos in favour of keeping that power to themselves? Well, it’s no different here then. I mean look at all those old royal lines full of incest....” Jupiter trailed off when she realised that if she’d married Titus, it would be considered exactly that. The current rulers had not changed so much from the old, then.

“Your ideas of incest and that of the universe are not the same thing, Your Majesty.” Stinger said. Jupiter’s eyes drifted between him and Kiza, and Stinger lets out a laugh at the question within them.

“That’s still incest.” He seemed to be finding her confusion amusing. It was a nice change from the deferential reverence that most non-Earthborn people insisted on showing her, which grew old fast. Being treated like a Queen was nothing like what she used to dream about as a child. It’s one hundred times more dangerous and a thousand times more tedious.

“Why are Sedoretus favoured so highly then? Isn’t it difficult to find a match with so many people involved?” Dating had been an absolute nightmare when it came to finding just one person. Finding three that also fit into the right spot? That sounded pretty much impossible.

“A variety of reasons. Safety in numbers. There’s always someone to go to when you need them. Ensuring genetic diversity. Financial stability. Pooling four lots of resources is better than two. Some cultures believe in the divinity of the number four and state that it requires four parts to make a whole. Or that it’s lucky.” Stinger explained.

“You build up to it. Sometimes two pairs find each other, sometimes you gradually collect each member as you find people who fit.” Caine added, answering the second of Jupiter’s questions.

“Or you could go to a blind date night and find all kinds of creeps.” Kiza pointed out. The boys laughed.

“There’s also that.” Caine agreed. “But the truth is, if you find someone or someones that you love, you’ll wait.”

The conversation drifted in a different direction after that and Jupiter was happy to follow it. But before she left to go back home, Stinger brought it back around.

“There’s one thing you never asked that I expected you would.” 

“What’s that?” She covered her bases pretty well as far as she could recall.

“You never questioned ruling out half a population as a potential partner because of their moiety. Most Tershies would.” He looked impressed. Jupiter shrugged.

“I can’t see how it’s any different to limiting your choice based on gender and people on my planet do that all the time.” She said dismissively. Not all of them, but a lot of them. A perplexingly large number as far as Jupiter was concerned.

“I don’t, by the way.” She added, while putting on her jacket and waving her farewell to the bees.

“Don’t what?” Stinger frowned questioningly.

“Limit who I love based on gender.” Jupiter was in her car and gone before Stinger could reply.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It wasn’t that she was consciously thinking about it, but she did find herself coming back to Sedoretus frequently over the next few weeks. At first they’d seemed strange, a literally alien concept. But she could see the sense of them now, and understand the appeal. Divorces must be hell though.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few months have passed and she’d been spending more and more of her free time out at Stinger’s house. On this particular saturday she arrived to the smell of something cooking in the oven and she strolled into the kitchen to find Caine and Kiza peering at a tray of cookies.

“They’re done.” Caine declared, staring down intently at the golden coloured cookies.

“Are you sure?” Kiza queried, poking at one with her finger. “They still seem soft.”

“As sure as I am Evening. They’re soft because they’ve just come out of the oven. They’ll harden when they cool down.” Caine answered, lightly swatting her hand away. “That one’s yours now.”

They kept talking but Jupiter wasn’t listening. It had been as casual as anything, but something about the way Caine had bought up his being Evening had triggered something in her brain. There was something there, dots connecting together in her mind as she reached for whatever conclusion she was heading for.

“Oh my god.” Jupiter exclaimed suddenly, realisation dawning on her. “That’s why you were so awkward when I bought it up! You’re three quarters of a Sedoretu, waiting for the final partner to get married. Kiza even called your fighting a male mating ritual. I thought she was just being funny, but you’re actually together.” 

Both Caine and Kiza looked mildly stunned.

She gazed across at the pair of faces staring back at her and another wave of understanding hit her. “And I’m a match. I’m an Evening woman.” 

Caine recovered first.

“Yes. You would be a match.” He said slowly, each word carefully measured. 

“A match for what?” Stinger asked, wandering in and snatching up one of the hot cookies straight off the tray. His gaze was wandering too, suspiciously eyeing everyone in the room.

“For us.” Kiza replied. Stinger frowned.

“I thought you’d figured that out after the game of twenty questions we played a while back.” 

Jupiter shook her head.

“No. I hadn’t.” She said, letting out an exasperated sigh. Her eyes might be sharp enough to spot a missed mark or a faint stain but she was absolutely hopeless at observing people. Then Caine burned himself on the hot tray and the subject was forgotten as Jupiter automatically started running the cold tap and Stinger ran off for the spray.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To say that she thought about it even more over the next week would be both the truth _and_ an understatement.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was Sunday and they’d gone all out for lunch. That is to say, nothing was microwaved or ready-made. It was still just mac and cheese, but they had put _love_ and _time_ into that mac and cheese, damn it.

“Marry me.” Jupiter said abruptly. Caine began choking on his lunch and Stinger almost fell of his chair. Kiza just smiled.

“Where did that come from?” Stinger asked, his surprise clearly etched on his face.

“I’ve been thinking about it.” She answered, with false casualness.

“Just to be clear, who are you asking to marry you?’ Kiza queried. 

“All of you.”

“I don’t mean to be rude, but why?”

“Because I love you. I trust you.” She replied immediately. Then, after a few moments, she added “ And I don’t want to be Earth’s sole owner anymore. My life isn’t enough protection. Together we can keep it safe.”

“Part love, part politics.” Stinger said, amused. “You’re sounding more and more like an Abrasax every day.”

Jupiter threw her spoon across the table and Stinger ducked, laughing.

“I’m being serious. You’ve all believed in me since the beginning, and while we’ve had our ups and downs, we’ve always been there when it really matters. Why not make it official?” Jupiter told them earnestly. Stinger blushed faintly, reaching for Kiza apparently subconsciously.

“You don’t mind that we’re two humble splices and the daughter of one via a taboo relationship?” Jupiter shook her head firmly.

“Of course not.” Stinger thought for a moment, before smiling.

“Then yes. I’ll marry you.” He said.

“I’m in if Dad’s in.” Kiza added. They all turned to face Caine, who looked pale. He glanced around the table, before lowering his eyes to stare resolutely at his mac and cheese.

“I need time.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Time, it turned out, was 13 days.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was Saturday afternoon and Jupiter was around at Stinger’s yet again. She loved her own home, but there was something about being here that made her feel at peace. Somehow she knew it wasn’t the house, or the bees (no matter how much she adored them), but the people. They moved so easily around each other, it was the most natural thing in the world. She didn’t know what Stinger or Kiza were doing, but she was in the room that served as Caine’s bedroom when he was staying over, sitting cross legged on the bed as she read a glossy magazine that had more ads than content.

“It’s not like this, when you’re not here.” Caine admitted. It sounded like he’d been sitting on this for a while.

“Like what?” She lowered the magazine so that she could see him over the top of it.

“Balanced. Without you, it’s like the centre of gravity is in the wrong spot. We manage, as we always have, but it’s nicer when you’re around.” The implication was clear. They weren’t nothing without her, but she made what they were even better.

“Thanks.” It was only one word but she tried to put everything into it that she felt. The way he smiled down at her told her that she had succeeded.

“I’ve been thinking. A lot. About what I want, for myself and for the ones I love. And I’ve realised that I would have to be the biggest idiot in the universe not to marry you, Jupiter Jones.”

“Oh thank _god_!” She cried, throwing her head back in relief. It was obvious the hug was coming from a mile away but she was more than happy to let Caine scoop her off the ground and physically lift her into one of the tightest bear hugs she’d ever experienced.

“He said yes!” Jupiter shouted after he set her back down, and she heard cheers coming from one of the distant rooms.

“About damned time.” Stinger’s voice rang out, sounding slightly distorted amongst the hum of the bees. Footsteps echoed through the house, growing closer until Kiza sprinted in through the open door and flung herself at Caine’s neck.

“Took you long enough.” She murmured affectionately.

“Well I had to make an honest man out of your father eventually.” Caine joked.

When Caine leaned down and Kiza stretched up for a kiss, Jupiter felt nothing but joy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kiza brought out a scrapbook that was full of ideas and it was only now that Jupiter realised they weren’t kidding about the waiting. There’s years worth of clippings and printouts, all from bridal magazines published on earth. None of them were the white bridal gowns that she expected though. Instead they’re all clearly intended to be bridesmaids dresses, all shades of blue.

Then came the actual dress shopping, which was a nightmare. Most store owners couldn’t comprehend that they were really just looking for dresses and not _gowns_ , and when they finally did grasp it they kept pulling dresses that looked like the world’s most hideous prom dresses.

They found their dresses at a vintage store full of racks of second hand clothes. When they came out of the changing rooms and caught sight of each other, they both agreed it was worth the wait.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Caine and Stinger went shopping for suits, they were gone for all of an hour.

The bastards.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“We could try to incorporate your religion into the ceremony.” Caine suggested one day, and Jupiter shut that down so fast he barely managed to finish his sentence. The issue wasn’t that they weren’t Jewish or that she hadn’t practiced the religion since she hit puberty, but rather she felt that it would be disrespectful to conduct a polygamous marriage ceremony in the fashion of a religion that was traditionally monogamous. It was a surprise to find out that Judaism was on the approved religions list though.

“Of course it is. Otherwise any of the Duets entered by your Jewish peoples would be invalid elsewhere, which would be a nightmare.” Kiza replied. She continued on to explain that there were people in the Bureau of Life Events whose entire job was to add marriages from Tershie planets into the system, since those peoples were prevented from filing themselves due to the restrictions on galactic awareness imposed on them.

In the end Caine found a small community hall. The windows were small and the lighting dim. The paint was yellow with age and the floor creaked with every step. It was perfect.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They mistook her nervous excitement for anxiety. It was sweet, really, the way all three of them strived to make her feel comfortable.

“You can say no if you want to. We won’t hold it against you.” She could honestly kiss them all. They’ve made it clear that the decision rests with her and her alone, and it’s the first time in a long time that she’s felt completely in control of her own life.

“There are no expectations. No one is going to ask you for anything you don’t want to do.” Kiza promised, curled up with her head in Jupiter’s lap while she tested her knowledge on Universal Law. Jupiter wanted to make a joke about how they’re all obsessed with sex but they’re genuinely concerned about her and it would feel cruel to make fun of that.

“And if I want to?” She asked instead, looking down at Kiza with a raised eyebrow. Kiza broke into a grin.

“That’s fine too.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She got ready with Caine at the house, while Stinger and Kiza prepared at the hall. There’s no real reason to, since they already knew what everyone was wearing, other than it was traditional. He zipped up her dress as she stood in front of a full length mirror, examining her reflection. 

“We’re getting married.” She said, smiling at him through the mirror. He tried to return it but his lips stretch into something closer to a grimace and she realised that he was even more nervous than she was. She took his hand and squeezed it softly, letting him know that she’s there if he needed her.

“Let’s go, or we’ll be late.” He said tersely, turning to leave. She pulled him back.

“Are you okay?” She asked, trying to catch his gaze. He avoided it deliberately.

“I’m fine.”

“How are you really?” She pressed. There was silence for a few seconds as he debated whether or not to be honest.

“We’ve been waiting for so long. I’ve _dreamed_ about this day for _years_. And now it’s going to be real. What I’ve wanted is finally happening. So why am I more scared now than I’ve ever been on a battlefield?” She suspected he’d been stewing over this for ages too. That would be something they had to work on. No one liked being vulnerable but if he couldn’t be open with them about things like this, then it would get very difficult, very quickly.

“Because you’ve built it up and you don’t want to be disappointed.”

“Yeah. That...that sounds right, actually.” He sounded surprised, confused that he’d managed to identify his own feelings.

“You won’t be disappointed.” Jupiter said, reassuringly. 

“Is that a promise?” 

“It’s a promise.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They arrived at hall late. Caine had missed the turnoff and they’d had to double back. He’s so nervous now that he can’t speak. His jaw appeared to have clamped itself shut and Jupiter didn’t push him. Her own stomach was doing backflips, twisting itself in knots. He looked stunning in a black suit, with a silk tie and pocket square that are the same navy blue as her dress. As they walked up the steps to the hall door, Caine held out his arm and she looped hers through it. The silk is soft and cool as it brushed her legs with every step. It’s just long enough to pool slightly on the floor, trailing behind her as she walked.

Together they pushed the doors open and walk through. Candles lined the floor, forming an aisle for Caine and Jupiter to walk up. The peeling paint has been covered by huge pieces of blue cloth that glowed softly in the light given off by the candles. At the end of the room was a circle reaching up towards the ceiling, delicate fabric trailing down to the ground and tied around the four posts holding the circle up. Stinger and Kiza were waiting beneath it, along with a short woman who must be the celebrant.

Kiza was dressed in a knee length dress the colour of the sky. As with Caine, Stinger’s tie and pocket square matched it. A beaming smile stretched across Kiza’s face. Stinger looked somewhat less exuberant but the sparkle to his eyes betrayed him. There’s no music as Caine walked her down the aisle, aside from the occasional crackle of a flame. By the time they’ve reached the circle, Jupiter’s nerves have vanished entirely. It’s almost as though she’s floating, and she couldn’t keep the grin off her face. Her hands were sweating as she reached out for Kiza’s hand. Stinger took her free hand, and Caine completed the circle, looking like he was about to throw up.

“Just remember to breathe, Caine.” Stinger told him with a weak smile, but in truth he looked almost as nervous. 

“Sorry. It’s just...I’d almost given up thinking this day would come.” Caine murmurs in response. Jupiter didn’t know how long the pair of them had been waiting, knowing that they wanted to make it official but were helpless to until they’d found themselves the rest of their group. It was hard enough trying to find one person who matched you. Finding three who all fit in the right way sounded nearly impossible. Yet here she was, coming together with three people who she’d only known for a small part of her life. Except it didn’t feel like that at all. No wonder Caine had been struggling so much earlier.

“I know.” Stinger said quietly. The celebrant smiled fondly. 

“Are all parties ready?” She asked, her skin glowing with tiny lights that danced just below the surface. Jupiter realised that they were all looking at her and she nodded. The celebrant reached out and placed a hand on Kiza’s chest, just above her heart, and did the same on Caine.

“Daughter of Morning, Son of Evening. You come here on this day, hand in hand, to seal the bonds between you. The dawn shall be your strength and your pillar with which to uphold this most sacred and ancient of unions. Do you declare yourself of sound mind and unfettered heart, and entering this marriage of your own free will?” The celebrant spoke the words with the ease and fluidity of someone who had said them many times before.

“We do.” Caine and Kiza answered in unison. The celebrant brought her hands from their hearts to their clasped hands. Then she turned, reaching out for Jupiter and Stinger.

“Father of Morning, Mother of Evening. You come here on this day, hand in hand, to seal the bonds between you. The dusk shall be your strength and your pillar with which to uphold this most sacred and ancient of unions. Do you declare yourself of sound mind and unfettered heart, and entering this marriage of your own free will?” For a moment she was back on Titus’ ship, afraid and confused but doing what she believed was necessary to save the world. But these people were not Titus. They loved her wholly and she loved them.

“We do.” She said, in time with Stinger. The celebrant’s hands were cold against the hot, sweatiness of her grip on Stinger. Her and Kiza are married next, Mother of Evening and Daughter of Morning, whose strength is the day. This time, as well as touching their hands, the celebrant switched their corsages so that Jupiter was now wearing the sky blue and Kiza was wearing the navy, to symbolise that they had merged moieties. Then the celebrant reached the final of the consummate marriages. Caine’s hand was gripping Stinger’s so tightly that the knuckles were white, and Stinger’s fingers were crushed together so severely it must have been painful. He didn’t let it show. By the time the celebrant announced that night is their strength, Kiza was wincing as Caine couldn’t keep himself from gripping her hand too. Both Caine and Stinger choked up over the ‘we do’, and Jupiter politely pretended not to notice while the celebrant swapped their pocket squares. The relief on Stinger’s face when the circle dropped their hands was evident, as he massaged his fingers which were striped with red lines before reaching out for Kiza with the undamaged hand. They stood face to face, holding each other’s gaze.

“Children of Morning, find your strength in each other. Without the love and friendship of the morning, the consumates shall have no foundation. Go forward from today safe in the knowledge that you always have each other to fall back on, when times are tough and the Evening is dark.”

There was no reply required this time, and they both stepped back to retake their place in the circle. Jupiter walked forward, taking Caine’s hand in hers and turning so that they were back to back. The speech was much the same, only they were the roof and the warning was about Morning being delayed.

“Morning and Evening have come together and declared their intention to be bound by law and society. I have determined that all four of you are here of your own volition and confirm your marriage proper and valid. From hereon out, you are no longer four individuals, but one day joined.” She didn’t have a chance to bring out the rings before Caine had let out an audible sigh of relief, grabbed Stinger, and pulled him into a kiss. The celebrant fumbled, clearly flustered, almost dropping one of the rings.

“I thought the morning and evening marriages were supposed to go first.” Jupiter said, frowning in her confusion. Kiza shrugged.

“Eh, let them have their moment. They’ve been waiting long enough. Besides, since when are you one for tradition?” Kiza replied and Jupiter has to admit that she had a point.

“Mkay. Shall we then?” Jupiter wasn’t used to leaning down into a kiss but it was nice for a change, not having to crane her neck or climb up onto her toes. Kiza was warm, and Jupiter could feel that heat flooding through her veins until her whole body tingled with it. She’d never experienced a kiss like it. There’s a promise in it, that this was just a taste of what was yet to come. It’s alluring and Jupiter found herself wondering if she could have made even a Duet with Kiza work. It was the first time she hadn’t thought of Kiza as the fourth person in her Sedoretu

Then Stinger was there and those thoughts vanish as he drew her into the gentlest, tenderest kiss she’d ever had the pleasure of experiencing. There’s a hum to his skin and he felt so alive. Jupiter wanted to wrap her arms around his neck and really just let it all go, but this was just supposed to be a consummation kiss, so she reluctantly drew away. There’s no custom when it came to non-consummate relationships within the marriage, but that didn’t stop Jupiter from flinging herself at Caine and letting him spin her around in a grand, sweeping hug that only stopped when Jupiter’s feet nearly took one of the pillars out.

“Well, shall we exchange the rings?” The celebrant asked, looking slightly shaken. The break from the usual order of things seemed to have thrown her. As a courtesy to her, they gave the rings around the circle in the customary way. As the Morning woman, Kiza started, sliding the four banded ring onto Caine’s finger. Ordinarily, rings would be tattooed onto the skin as had almost happened during her aborted wedding to Titus, but that particular disaster had spooked both Jupiter and Caine enough that they had agreed to go with physical rings. Caine was shaking so badly as he tried to slip the ring onto Stinger’s finger that he kept missing the tip and smashing it into Stinger’s hand. Eventually he did succeed, smiling broadly for the first time since he entered the church. Stinger had no such troubles, putting Jupiter’s ring on with ease. Holding Kiza’s ring in her hand, Jupiter could hardly believe how small the woman’s fingers are, but the ring is a snug fit when Jupiter slides it on.

“That’s it then?” Stinger asked, staring down at the ring shining on his finger. It had four interwoven bands, each as fine as possible so that the ring almost had a 2d appearance. Two golden rings represented the morning while two silver rings represented the evening. The only thing breaking the illusion of two dimensions was the four tiny gemstones set into each ring. What each of the four parts of a Sedoretu represented was up to those getting married to decide. The four of them had settled on archaic elements. A small ruby represented Kiza, who was fire. A tiny peridot was for Caine, earth. The topaz represented Stinger’s air, while the beautifully cut sapphire shone for Jupiter’s water. Each gemstone was set into a correctly coloured band to create a line of sparkling jewels.

“That’s it.” The celebrant nodded, releasing the fabric so that it falls away from the pillar and surrounds them completely. 

It wasn’t. It took over an hour to sign each appropriate form, which Stinger checked and rechecked before passing them around for everyone else to proof one last time before finally giving them to the celebrant to submit. By the time they arrived home, there’s a message waiting for them on one of the odd little devices Stinger had lying around, announcing that their marriage had been filed and approved. 

“I may have a contact in the department that owes me a favour.” Stinger admitted when pressed. That favour had saved them literal days of waiting in a queue of data, waiting to be processed. “Duets are easy, there’s only one form and most people opt for the tattoo rings which are processed automatically. Everything takes longer with a Sedoretu and an age when you choose physical rings since they can be removed and potentially given to someone else.”

Jupiter didn’t care about the details. It was official. They were joined legally and universally, with all the benefits and entitlements that came with it.

“So, how does it feel to be semi-Entitled?” She’d read up on what it means to marry an Entitled. While not Entitled themselves, they all had the potential to become so should she die, abdicate, or otherwise be unable to complete her duties. No one could deny them entry if they were accompanying her and they were eligible to apply for Entitled health care. That one meant a lot, knowing that if Kiza needed help again no one could deny her the absolute best service available, and no one would have to resort to anything nasty out of desperation.

“The same.” “Incredible.” “Fucking awful.” Her husbands and wife replied simultaneously. Jupiter laughed.

“What am I going to do with you?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kiza squirmed under her touch, incapable of keeping still as Jupiter brought her closer and closer to the edge. Wisps of hair stuck to the sheen of sweat on her forehead. She made little noise, all of her energy apparently spent on moving so much that it’s making it difficult for Jupiter to bring her to climax. They worked it out eventually and Jupiter felt a strong sense of achievement as Kiza came, back arching off the bed as her fingers clawed at the sheets. When her turn arrived, she didn’t last long at all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They both pretended not to notice the marks that painted Caine and Stinger’s skin the next morning at breakfast. Where they’d disappeared to, Jupiter didn’t know, but it obviously hadn’t been there room. There wasn’t a chance in hell that she would have missed the noises they were making. The bruises aren’t easily distinguished from the hickeys, and she couldn’t be entirely sure they had even had sex. It was entirely possible they’d spent their wedding night just beating the snot out of each other. Although the stubble burn around Stinger’s mouth and red lines that looked suspiciously like finger marks on Caine’s wrists suggested otherwise.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The only thing she knew about what happened between Kiza and Caine was that somehow the ceiling fan got broken.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stinger kept asking her what she wanted. The communication was constant, but rather than being smothering it felt liberating. She’d never felt so secure with a male sexual partner. He was gentle but it didn’t feel like he was worried about breaking her. Neither of them rushed, letting it build slowly and naturally. In the days and weeks and years to come, they’d experiment and test new things. But this first time they focused on each other, on moving in time and just making it feel good. Stinger knew what he was doing and she appreciated it. He filled her so well, and she’d had boyfriends who couldn’t make her feel this great after months of trying. That familiar tingle started to swell and she realised that it was her who was going to climax first. She came with a soft cry, biting her lip to try and stifle it out of habit. He helped her ride through it before finding his own release.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They managed to negotiate living arrangements with Jupiter’s family. Her weekends were hers to do whatever she pleased with, but Monday through Friday she’d stay with them so that she could get to work without having to get up at 3am. She hadn’t explained that she was married yet. That’s a conversation she knew she’d have to have eventually, but if they’re happy believing she’s just trying to spend more time with Caine, she’s okay letting them. Just like one day she knew that her conscience was going to force her to tell them about her ascension and everything that happened to them on Jupiter. They had that right. She just had to find the courage. Which she would. One day. Probably.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She’s always the big spoon. No one argued with this.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I’ve finally figured out why you were so reluctant to return my advances.” Jupiter said, flopping down onto the sofa beside Caine and leaning into him. He wrapped his arm around and drew her close. He radiated warmth, even through his clothes.

“Ah. have you now?” He replied, bringing his feet up to rest them on the coffee table.

“Yeah. I initially thought it was my Entitled status, or your being a Splice, or both. But it wasn’t. It’s because as far as most of the universe is concerned, I may as well be your sister.”

“Indeed.” Caine said as Jupiter curled up her feet just long enough for Kiza to slip into the spare spot at the end of the sofa before spreading out again, legs stretched across her wife’s lap. The three of them fit into the space almost perfectly. Almost. When Stinger came sweeping into the room holding the biggest bowl of popcorn that Jupiter’s ever seen and settled himself on the floor in front of them, it felt more right than anything ever had before. “Or maybe, it was all of the above.”

“I’m sorry, if I made you uncomfortable.” Jupiter apologised as she reached over Stinger’s shoulder to grab a handful of popcorn. He kissed her arm as it went past and she couldn’t help but giggle.

“Don’t be. It’s fine, Jup.” There was nothing dismissive in his tone, no sign that he was just saying it to avoid conflict. If she had upset him, it was in the past.

“You did still date me though.” And marry her, even if that was as a friend.

“When on Earth….” He was so cute smiling at his own joke that she couldn’t help breaking out into a broad grin.

“Kinky.” She teased.

“I learned from the best.” Caine replied, nudging Stinger with his foot. 

“Get a room.” Kiza sighed in the weary tone of someone who’d said the same thing many times before. She flicked through the DVD menu with the remote and pressed play.

“In all seriousness, this is a judgement free zone. What you two do in the privacy of our own home is between you. We won’t tell anyone.” Stinger said earnestly, turning to face them.

“You’re trying to tempt us. Tempterer.” Jupiter said in a mock-accusatory tone.

“Corruption of the young and innocent.” Caine added, in the same way.

“Ha, innocent. I’ve been corrupting you for years, love. And you’re hardly young anymore.” Stinger fired back, laughing when Caine kicked him in retaliation. There’s no malice in the kick, which was barely more than a nudge really.

“I swear, if you two start one of your flirt fights, I’m kicking you out and claiming the sofa for Jupiter and myself.” Kiza threatened, waving the remote around.

As it turned out, they ended up wrestling on the ground, knocking over the bowl of popcorn so that it spilled _everywhere_. Kiza didn’t follow through on her threat, watching the pair with fond eyes and a warm smile. This was it. What Jupiter had really wanted when she’d so desperately wished for her life to change. Not entitlement, or recognition, or wealth, or entire freaking planets. It was this connection with people she loved, who knew her inside and out. People she could trust not because she had been raised by them, or shared their genes, but because they had proved to her that they deserved it. Here she wasn’t a Queen, or a recurrence, or the owner of the damned planet she’d been born and raised on. She was just Jupiter Jones, the Evening wife in a Sedoretu with her three best friends in the entire universe. She’d never loved her life more.

**Author's Note:**

> Unbeta’d, so all mistakes are my own. I’d never heard of Sedoretus before encountering this prompt and I got sucked in so fast. I’m an absolute sucker for multishipping and polyshipping and the whole concept intrigued me. That said, I had a lot of trouble finding out if there are any canonical details on how ceremonies are conducted, etc. So the ceremony is entirely made up by me, which was an awful lot of fun (and hopefully not too repetitive). I know Stinger talks A Lot but he did serve as the Mr Exposition of the film so it made sense to me to have him answering the questions. That said, I think that after they get married, Jupiter realises that Kiza actually knows way more about customs and culture than her father and starts turning to her instead. I also want to make it clear that I had Kiza and Stinger be gentler with Jupiter in the bedroom than Caine because it’s their first time with her while they’ve been working out the boundaries and testing their limits with Caine for years. I wanted this to be a healthy relationship full of trust and respect. I’m 100% sure that they explore their kinks as time goes on and they learn more about what the other likes. It’s also up to you whether you want to think that Jupiter and Caine did have a sexual relationship or if they kept it platonic. I love the idea of Stinger having favours owed all over the place so that happened. Also this was what I was trying to describe as the circle thing they were getting married in/under. https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/07/c5/1b/07c51b3543fa57c919ae026aa8532a1c.jpg


End file.
